Pljvnooraph co



^ Patented July s, 1919. 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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l zflrll- A. W. FRENCH. APPARATUS Foa SEPARATING soun MATTER FROM uoums.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28. 19H.

THE commun PLAOCIRAPH co., wAsHlNd-rou. D. c.

A. w. FRENCH. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SOLID MATTER FROM LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV2B. 1917.

2 SHtETS-SHEET 2'.

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A raR/VE k12 THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D c.

Patenfd uly 8, 1919.

ALERED W. FRENCH, oEriQUA, oHio.

APPARATUS EoR sErARATiNG senin MATTER ERoivi: nionins.

Specicaton of Letters Batent.

'Patented JulyT 8, 1919.

Application filed November 28, 1917. Serial No. 204,445.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED W. FRENCH,

a citizen of the United States, residingat Piqua, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, provement in Apparatus for Separating- Solid Matter from 'Liquid-s, following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to apparatus for separating the solid matter from sewage sludge or other liquids containing a' comparatively small percentage of solid matter, in which the sludge or liquid is introduced into a plurality of compressible bagsor containers made of pervious material, which are suspended,or arranged in upright position with their open ends lowermost and are subjected to pressure for expressing the liquid, by compression bags or devices larranged between or alternating with the separating bags or containers. More particularly the invention relates to ineanswhich are operable for closing the lower ends of the separating bags or containers and for permitting the same to open to drop the solid matter out of the separatingba'gs or containers after the liquid has been eX- pressed from the sludge or material in the Fig. 3.

bags or containers.

One object of the invention fis to provide eiiicient closing means for the lower ends of the separating containers which can be quickly and easily operated to close or seal the lower ends of the containers and to lpermit the saine to open to freely discharge the solid matter from the containers. Other objects of the invention are to construct the closing means so that the clamping bars or members for the separating containers willf move toward and from the containers in such way as not to drag on or conflict with either the separating containers ofthe coinpression devices and so that the compression devices can extend practically to the lower ends of the separating containers and insure the proper compression of the material in the lower portions of the containers without interfering with the operation of the closing means; also to construct the closing means so that they willY insure the proper complete closing of the separating containersand will occupy little space between the containers when the latter are opened so as to leave ample room for the free discharge lof the solid matter from the open lower ends'of have invented a new and useful Imv of which the I of this nature in the other respects herein-V tlie containers; also to provide closing means for the containers which are operated by uid lpressure in such'v a way as to insure the quick and simultaneous opening and closing of the several separating containers; and also to improve the construction of closing means for the separating containers of` apparatus after described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is al side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus for yseparating solid L y matter from liquids in which closing means for thev separating containers are shown, em-

' bodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section thereof on line 242, Fig. l. Y

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing'the various parts in a different position.

Fig. i is a fragmentary side elevation, on

an enlarged scale, of the container closing i means.

Fig. '5 is a similar view showing the position of the parts of the-closing means when the containers are open.V

Fig. 6 is a line 6 6, Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale;

7 is alsimilar lview on line 7 7,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section on line 8 8, Fig. 5.

The separating Vapparatus shown in the'V drawings is constructed as follows:

A is a frame comprising 4opposite relatively fixed pressure resisting heads A A connected' by tie rods a.. B represents the separating bags or containers made of suit-V able pervious material, such as canvas, which are suspended transversely of the apparatus The pipe connections b connect with a sup# p ly 'pipe' b2 through which the sludge or liquid is introduced into the separating bags, and the connections c connect with a suitable pipe (not shown) whereby fluid under'pressureis delivered toV the compression bags C Y for 'compressing the separating bags to eX- press the liquid from the contents thereof.

, 80 fragmentary vertical section on Suitable means C', preferably [in 'the form 'of screens or mats of wire mesh, are supported between the separating bags B and the compression bags C for giving 'free drainage for the liquid expressed from the material -in the separating bags B.

The apparatus as above described, of itself, forms no part of this invention and may be constructed as shown or 'of any other suitable construction. In operation, after closing the lower ends of the separating bags B the sludge or 'liquid is pumped into these bags, preferably under sutlicient pressure to force aV considerable percentage ofthe liquid out through the pervious walls of the bags. Pressure is then admitted tothe compression bags C, which are thus expanded and compressv the separating bags and express more liquid from lthe contents of the latter. After lrelieving the pressure Vthe lower ends of the separating -bags are opened and the solid matter discharged therefrom.`

The closing means for Vtheopen lower ends of. the separating bags B, form-ing the lsubject matter of the present invention, preferably consists of a plurality of clamping bars or members D D extending transversely of the apparatus, adjacent -to the lower ends of the separating bags, one pair of vbars being vprovided for each bag. These Ybars -or members D are pivoted by means of studs or pintles 10 in bearing members or blocks 11 arranged to slide in suitable horizontal guides 12 arranged at opposite sides of the apparatus. The clamping lbars D may be of any suitable form but are preferably made 'of the truss shape shown, with-their greatest width substantially midway between their ends, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby preventing .the bars from springing or bending between their ends in operationand thus insurinoV the proper clamping and closing :of the ags throughout their entire width. Y The bars are provided with straight gripping edges 13 adapted to engage the bags. The bars Dare adapted to be moved toward and `from each other and to be swungA from the substantially vertical position, shown -in Fig. 7, in which positiontlie bottoms of the-separating bags will be opened 'to their widest extent, into the substantially horizontal position, shown in Figs. l, 2 and 6, in which position the lower end of eaChseparating bag Vis clamped between the adjacent edges of the clamping bars on opposite sides of the bag.

The means shown 1n the drawings for thus operating the clamping bars are constructed as follows: i

14 represents a plurality of cylinders arranged at opposite sides of the apparatus and connected with .pipes 15 and 16 which are connected to a common `pipe line 17 leading from a Vthree-way valve 18. The valve 1S, in the positionshown in Fig. 1, supplies fluid under pressure to the lower ends of the cylinders 14 from a supply line 19, and in its provided at its upper end with a packing gland 21 through which a piston or plunger 22 extends into the cylinder. Each plunger is provided at its upper end with a fork or member to which is pivoted a pair of toggle links 23. These toggles are connected at their outeror 'opposite ends to the slidable bearing blocks 11. The clamping bars D are show-n as being loosely connected together in pairs between the Ylower ends of the separating bags B by links or shackles 24 for a purpose that will presently appear. VV'hen Huid pressure is appliedto raise the pistons 22 from their lowermost position, shown in Fig. 5, to their uppermost position, shown in Fig. 4, the toggle's connected to each of said piston-s will be straightened and force the slide blocks 11 in opposite directions away Vfrom eachother, thus forcing the clamping bars D which arelocated on opposite sides of each separating `bag ytoward each other. As the bar D are connected by links 24: as explained, 'the bars when forced apart will swing lon their pivots from a substantially vertical position to ay substantially horizontal position, `and will grip the lower ends of the separa-ting bags securely between their cooperating edges l13 and -hold the bags closed. The pivots of the clamping bars are preferably located on the ends ofthe bars'near the inner or gripping edges 13. Consequently when the vbars are operated to close 'the bags the'edges 13 will swing downwardly against the sides of the bags, thus preventing any tendency on the part ofthe bags tofwrinkle, andthey will be evenly and securely closed across their entire width. But `the swinging motion ofthe gripping edges of the bars is So slight on account of their proximity to the bar pivotsthat they will not pull on the vseparating bags enough to tear or injure themfandthe bulging lower portions of the bags will not engage 'the bars and interfere with the opposite or opening movement thereof. On account'of the described construction of the clamping bars D it is possible to makethe compression bags C oi' substantially the same length as that part of the separating bags B which is filled with the material to be treated, thus insuring the proper compression of the material in the lower partsof the separating bags.

The-truss'or plate-like form of the clamping bars makes them very rigid in the direction or' their greater width, and precludes them from springing between their ends and thus preventing a proper closure of the bags.

the lower ends of the separating bags and the free discharge of the solid matter from the bags. A

The closing means constructedr as described is very simple to manufacture, is strong and efficient in operation, and allows the separating bags to open quickly to their full extent to discharge the solid material.

Obviously clamping bars arranged to move toward and from each other and swing or rock from more or less vertical tomore or less horizontal positions for the purpose described, could be mounted and actuated in various other ways without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. In an apparatus for separating solid matter from liquids, the combination with a plurality of compressible separating containers having open lower ends, and pressure devices alternating therewith, of members movable bodily laterally relatively to each other independently of said pressure devices for closing the lower open ends of said containers and permitting the opening of the same to allow the solid matter to discharge therefrom.

2. In an apparatus for separating solid matter from liquids, the combination with a plurality of separating containers having pervious walls and open lower ends, of members adjacent said lower ends of said containers, and movable bodily laterally toward and from each other for closing the lower ends of said containers and permitting the opening of the same to allow the solid matter to discharge therefrom.

3. In an apparatus for separating solid matter from liquids, the combination with npr-ight separating containers for liquid material having open lower ends, and means for subjecting the contents of said containers to pressure for separating liquid therefrom, of members movable bodily toward and from each other independently of said pressure means for closing and permitting the opening of the lower ends of said separating containers.

il. In an apparatus for separating solid matter from liquids, the combination with a plurality of upright separating containers having open lower ends, of members movable bodily toward and from each other to close and permit the opening of the lower ends of said containers, said members being pivoted to occupy a substantially horizontal position when closing the open ends of said containers and to swing to a substantially vertical position to permit the opening between them of the ends of said containers to discharge the solid matter from the containers.

5. In an apparatus for separating solid matter from liquids, the combination witha plurality of separating containers having open lower ends, of relatively wide thin bars pivoted to swing from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, and movable bodily toward and fromr each other for closing and permitting the openingrof the Ylower ends of said containers.

6. In .an apparatus for separating solid matter from liquids, the combination with a plurality of separating containers having open lower ends, of substantially flat bars, slides in which said bars are pivoted at their ends, said slides being movable toward and from each other, and means for moving said slides and said pivoted bars toward and from each other for closing and permitting the opening of the lower ends of said containers.

7 In an apparatus for separating solid matter from liquids, the combination with a plurality of separating containers having open lower ends, of substantially fiat bars, slides in which said bars are pivoted at their ends, said slides being movable toward and from each other, toggles connected to said slides, and means for actuating said toggles to move said slides and said pivoted bars toward and from each other for closing and permitting the opening ofthe lower ends of said containers. y

8. In a'n apparatus for separating solid matter from liquids, the combination with a plurality of 4separating containers having open lower ends, of substantially flat bars, slides in which said bars are pivoted at their ends, said slides being movable toward and from each other, toggles connected to said slides, means for actuating said toggles to move said slides and said pivoted bars toward and from each other for closing and permitting the opening of the lower ends of said containers, and links loosely connecting said pivoted bars between the ends of said separating containers to cause the bars to assume a substantially horizontal position when closing said containers and a substantially vertical position lat the sides of said containers to allow said containers to open to their full extent.

9. In an apparatus for separating solid matter from liquids, the combination with a plurality of separating containers having open lower ends, of substantially flat bars, slides in which said bars are pivoted at their ends, said slides being movable toward and from each other, toggles connected to said slides, and fluid pressure operated means for actuating said toggles to move said slides and said pivoted bars toward and from each other for the purpose set forth.

10. In an apparatus Vfor separating solid matter from liquids, the combination with a plurality .of separating containers having open lower ends, of substantially fiat bars,

from each other, toggles connected to said sure to said cylinders to aetuate said plun- 1) slides, and Huid pressure operated means for gers. Y actuating said toggles to move said slides WVitness my hand, this 23rd day .of N0- and saifd pivoted bars toward and from elaei vember, 1917. other or the purpose set forth, said uic y pressure operated means consisting @fa plu- ALFRED FRENCH' rality of plungers connected to said toggles, Witnesses:

a cylinder in which each of said pungers FRANCES MGCOY,

Works, and means for supplying Huid 'pres- M. DONOVAN.

Copies ot this patent may be obtained :for Jive .cents each, fby addressnga'fthe Commissioner voi( Patents,

washingitn, 5D. 6;" y 

